RPG news is the name of the game but last week’s summary began with the phrase What a dreadful week. Given how this week concludes with weapons hitting Europe’s largest nuclear installation, it’s hard to know where to go next.
In the podcast, I shared my thoughts on whether the escapism of games should be sacrosanct or whether life was more important.
As you can see, I’ve gone there again, and games aren’t more important. You can donate to the Ukraine crisis through many charities, and two are The Red Cross and Oxfam. You can even help Oxfam by buying chocolate.
Back to the gaming! It’s a new month, so the RPG Publisher Spotlight poll for patrons is open. The winner for March is Wider Path Games.
The five candidates for April are;
You can vote if you’re a patron of any supporter tier.
So, with that said, let’s get exploring this week’s RPG news.
Win: #SelfPromoteSaturday coasters
RPG news from Geek Native
- DriveThruRPG has given publishers more freedom to describe their games by growing the number of sites that can be linked to from product descriptions.
- Roll20 and The Orr Group released the last quarter of 2021 TTRPG market stats.
- Today is International GM’s Day, and Geek Native takes a look at the best-selling RPGs in the sales.
- One of the many Ukraine support efforts of note; Handiwork Games sells limited signed “To All Those Who Battle Monsters” prints.
- Another is Chaosium and Black Monk Games’ Does Love Forgive?
- The official Dark Sun website just published a new sourcebook with Secrets of the Dead Lands.
- Open now for Patron votes is the April RPG Publisher Spotlight.
- The pilot issue of Crucible a new RPG mag is free to download.
- Mystical Throne also has free quickstart for the SWADE-powered Judgment Day
- Wizards of the Coast (finally) join Women in Games.
- The Bundle of Holding has two offers for Ulisses Spiele’s TORG Eternity.
- Itch is hosting a bundle for an important cause as RPB publishers offer well over $2,500 worth of games for $5 in a Trans Rights in Texas bundle.
Spotlight: Wider Path Games
RPG news from around the web
- Alex Meehan has the news that CMON will publish an English version of Household.
- Good news as the RPG Research, a 501(c)3 non-profit has secured the lease on the RPG Community Center & Museum Property.
- D&D issued a rules release with Forgotten Realms Service Awards.
- R. Talsorian Games has given us a Tome of Chaos Preview and Witcher update.
- On the ball as ever, Dicebreaker noted Over 100 tabletop games made $500,000 on Kickstarter last year for the first time.
- Bully Pulpit Games will split their profits from their Bundle of Holding sale between the original Montrose Center and efforts in Ukraine.
- Roleplayers Chronicle covered Modiphius Releases Exciting New TTRPG PDFs for Achtung! Cthulhu, Mutant Chronicles, Infinity, and Star Trek Adventures.
- ScreenRant’s Laura Gray has a preview into Possum Creek Games’ Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast.
- Kobold Press has hired the graphic designer Amber Seger.
- Wired looped back to RPGs with a culture featured called Tabletop Game Companies Are Rushing to Snatch Up Hollywood Names.
- The Guardian and Harriet Sherwood, the arts and culture correspondent, noted Unseen JRR Tolkien paintings, photographs and video clips released.
RPG reviews and interviews from around the web
- Reviews from R’lyeh takes a look at The City of a Hundred Ships and EN Publishing’s Strontium Dog III plus Rogue Trooper: Mission Report 001-006.
- Mixed Signals looked at the Burnt Offerings Anniversary Edition of Runelords.
- Jared Rascher reviewed Star Trek Adventures: Upsetting the Balance.
- Jeremy Buxman reviewed Twisted Die Gaming’s Alique.
- The Alexandrian shared insights into Storm King’s Thunder.
- D&D’s Yawning Portal has interviewed Jay Africa.
- Coleman Gailloreto talked to Modiphius boss Chris Birch.
- Egg Embry interviewed Dave Scott of Evil Genius Productions about Everyday Heroes.
RPG new releases
- Magnum Opus Press has, for just $1, released every Interactive Fantasy magazine issue.
- Iron Crown Enterprises has published HARP Beyond the Veil.
- Neal Cobb has released the Genesys-powered HERO TIME sourcebook.
- Onyx Path Publishing has released the Hunter: The Vigil Second Edition.
- Valorous Games published the complete Valor: the Heroic Roleplay System.
- Fire Ruby Designs published Warlock! Traitor’s Edition.
RPG bundle deals
- Save $64.97 (70%) with Raging Swan Press’ OSR Dungeon Dressing Complete, $64.97 (70%) on Pathfinder 2 Dungeon Dressing Complete and the same again with Pathfinder 1 Dungeon Dressing Complete bundles.
- Save $40 (100%) with Gordonshead Games Vigilant Complete Collection bundle.
- Save $35.45 (70%) with The Eldritch Tomb Games’ We Want Elden Ring Dark Fantasy bundle.
- Save $21.05 (40%) with Earl of Fife Games’ 13th Age 3rd-Party Publishers bundle.
- Save $19.71 (44%) with DeepDark Designs’ Bloody Blueprints & Macabre Maps: Complete Collection and $8.93 (37%) on Season II bundles.
- Save $5 (20%) with Luna Publishing’s Cheap Thrills bundle.
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- The Genre Police give some examples of techniques that can assist with RPG immersion.
- Cute in a death metal sort of way – how? It’s an Aggrestuko dice box.
- Far less cute, but this dice tower might remind of you Percy from Vox Machina.
- Noble Knight shares a spotlight piece on Free League Publishing.
- Eclipse Phase’s Rob Boyle wrote up some GM tips for Anarchist Habs.
- Seed of Worlds shared Geography as destiny – emergent world-building from maps.
RPG Crowdfunding
You can see those Kickstarters and other crowdfunding campaigns that caught Geek Native’s attention over at Kickstarter watch. Here are some industry projects worth a mention;
- Pulp Hummock Press has funded a megadungeon and the Gods of the Forbidden North.
- Purple Sorcerer Games has a multi-system, South East Asian inspired, adventure in the form of the Dread Specters of the Shrieking Vale.
- Luis Moreno has funded modular Dark Rituals Printable Scenario STL files.
- Andrew Wecht has print files for “adorable” Chonky Monsters: Dungeon Denizens & Mythological Minions.
- Tara Collins has hit the target for gothic horror adventures in the vein of Poe and Shelly in What Stalks the Foggy Cobbled Streets.
- Tim W has also hit target for a series of Masque’s Bite Sized Dungeons: The Occult Below.
- Mojibake are offering STUL files for Monpong Croak: Asian Warrior Frogs For Your RPG Adventures!.
- Joe Nittoly is working on a sleeky dystopian NearFuture5e Shard City: Rules Supplement & Campaign Setting.
- Scatter Games have skull-core polys with Death may Dice.
- Planet X Games have done it again, shattering targets and bringing an RPG zine for weird fantasy to life with THE PHYLACTERY 4 and THE PHYLACTERY OMNIBUS.
- Jay Merritt has world-building sourcebooks crammed full of tools and techniques in Realm Fables: World Generator Volume 2 & Volume 1 Reprint.
- Sundial Games has over $100,000 pledged for a clever tear-away 2023 Quest Calendar 🚀 A Space Fantasy RPG
- Greg Franseth and Chris Grzywacz will hit targets for a Kickstarter to support CinCityCon 2022 Tabletop Gaming Con (5th Year)
- Joniosxmo is offering 3d-printable and pre-supported STL files to create a Drivable minecart for your miniatures.
- Fanatic 5 Solutions has a toolset for 5e players and DMs to remain engaged between heroics with the Downtime Center for D&D 5e.
- Ill Gotten Games is crowdfunding a zine for CRUX RPGs with added STL files in Quadrivium: The 3d printable tabletop RPG zine.
- Troy W is close to funding the small and local Calgary Tabletop Game Day 2022.
- Javier Barroso Gil has an RPG set in the world created by Anthony Ryan and uses 5e. It’s the Draconis Memoria RPG
- David Z Morris has four short and disturbing 5e Encounters for Dark Cities by Moon Beast Games.
- More 3d files and this time Dungeon Master – DARK ANGELS : AZORUTH – STL files.
- Orion Scott Kroulek has funded a module and expansion for the medieval and renaissance For Honor and For Glory! The Grand Tourney.
- Wundervalue Games has an ambitious printable collection with modules and models in the World of Nimmervale Vol. 1 – Wakamataku.
- Alexei Vella swiftly funded the map-making RPG LIMINAL_.
- Max Jowett hit the target on an RPG where magic can summon ice cream and fireballs. It’s Urban Mages.
- VIALED_ has an underground-themed box set that includes a scented candle, cards and is Gloomy Caverns: A Complete 5th Edition Experience.
- OniDice are offering a unique collection of HELL ANGEL – Hollow Metal Polyhedral RPG Dice Set
- Near-future action for the Champions system with Noah Kastin’s Bend, Campaign #1
- Sharik L Peck II has some unusually shaped Warlock Djinn Pactstone d10s.
- Jess Francis is offering 54 cards in a Dungeons and Dragons Standard Reference Deck for D&D 5e.
- Bildow00 is working on enthralling level 1 to 10 heroes in the 5e Domain of Dread adventure: Bluetspur.
- Target hit for the 5e bundles in Chamomile’s Guide to Everything
- Eventyr Games offer magical concepts, adventures and monsters in Milando’s Guide to Magical Marvels (5E)
- Rugose Kphn has 30 Days of Mork Borg and three religions in the Adventure Chapbook Volume 3.
- Txarli Factory has reached funding goals with these clever THEMATIC BASES 1.0 (Square Version).
- Luna Publishing doesn’t suck with Fanged Fables: Vampire Quick-adventures for D&D 5e – $1.
- Chronicle Cards has 8 handmade resin Dragon Dice #4 – Astilbe.
If there’s a source or news you think is worth monitoring, please get in touch or leave a comment below.
